God-given Instinct!

For Friday, November 29, 2024:

1 Thessalonians 5:21b-22 NLT: “Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.”

As a person becomes a loyal believer, a follower of Jesus and the New Covenant, we can easily separate life into two categories: things we should do, and things we shouldn’t do. With the New Covenant, Jesus taught that these laws are written on our hearts. Therefore we don’t need long lists of rules, lists of commandments, because we should instinctively know right from wrong.

And if we know what to do, we also know what NOT to do! God gave us intelligence and a gift of discernment. He gave us brains and expects us to use them! We need to slow down and lose our knee-jerk reactions to life’s problems. Take a minute and ask yourself if your reaction is good, right, fair and honest. Ask yourself, “Should I be doing this?”

Many bad decisions are put in motion when we don’t take the time to stop and think things through, to use the minds our Creator put in our heads!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Judge Not!

For Tuesday, February 7, 2023:

Matthew 7:1-2 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

As Jesus continues his Sermon On the Mount, he moves from our interior spiritual life to our interactions with others. Those who do not know the Bible love to lift “Do not judge...” out of context, resulting in an incorrect interpretation. There’s a fine line between being discerning and being judgmental. Of course we are to determine right from wrong and good from evil. That’s what God wants his children to do as they grow closer to him!

But the Pharisees and Scribes had made their life’s work the judgment of others, and that’s wrong. They maintained a complete list of God’s commandments, and their mission had become one of catching people doing something wrong. Their joy came from pontificating and enforcing the laws. Jesus called them hypocrites who totally missed the instructions about kindness and loving your neighbor.

Jesus said, “The measure you give will be the measure you get back.” “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive others.” Kindness will be repaid with kindness, evil with evil. So think about it: Being kind actually benefits you!

We should not judge an entire life only by its worst moments.

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

God-trend!

For Wednesday, November 30, 2022:

Proverbs 3:21-22a NLT: “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul.”

God made mankind in his image, and equipped us with brains. It’s always good to consult the Bible, but we should be able to figure out a lot of things on our own. After all, God wrote his laws on our hearts, so we should instinctively know right from wrong.

Humans tend to consult God about individual incidents, but I believe God is more concerned with trends. It’s good if you help your neighbor clear their sidewalk, but God wants to see multiple incidents of kindness – the trend. God wants to see that you’re loving your neighbor as yourself – that you’re a kind person – all the time.

Trends become habits. If you’re in the habit of helping others – of being kind – that behavior tends to repeat itself. If you’re in the habit of loving your neighbor, it becomes second nature, the first thing you think of.

May our love for our neighbor grow to be our personal trend!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Well Done!

For Wednesday, March 10, 2021

1 Timothy 5:25 NLT: “The good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.”

When meeting new people, do you look for the good in them, or do you immediately search out evil? On the optimist/pessimist scale, is your glass half full or is it half empty? Frankly, we need a little of both! Pray that God would allow you discernment in your interactions with others.

Some things are obviously good as they are being done, and they are no secret. Other good deeds may never be recognized until we stand before the Lord Jesus and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Good deeds done in secret are treasure in heaven, stored up and waiting for us in the life-after-this-life, and that gives us hope!

Good works are always eventually revealed; time and truth go hand in hand!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406